Fullerenes are closed-cage molecules composed entirely of sp2-hybridized carbons, arranged in hexagons and pentagons. Fullerenes (e.g., C60) were first identified as closed spheroidal cages produced by condensation from vaporized carbon. Fullerene tubes are produced in carbon deposits on the cathode in carbon arc methods of producing spheroidal fullerenes from vaporized carbon. Ebbesen et al. (Ebbesen I), “Large-Scale Synthesis Of Carbon Nanotubes,” Nature, Vol. 358, p. 220 (Jul. 16, 1992) and Ebbesen et al., (Ebbesen II), “Carbon Nanotubes,” Annual Review of Materials Science, Vol. 24, p. 235 (1994). Such tubes are referred to herein as carbon nanotubes. Many of the carbon nanotubes made by these processes were multi-wall nanotubes, i.e., the carbon nanotubes resembled concentric cylinders. Carbon nanotubes having up to seven walls have been described in the prior art. Ebbesen II; lijima et al., “Helical Microtubules Of Graphitic Carbon,” Nature, Vol. 354, p. 56 (Nov. 7, 1991).
Since 1991, there has been a great deal of interest in derivatization of carbon nanotubes, and more, particularly, single-wall carbon nanotubes, to facilitate their manipulation, to enhance the solubility of such nanotubes, and to make the nanotubes more amenable to composite formation. This is because single-wall carbon nanotubes are one of the more striking discoveries in the chemistry and materials genre in recent years. Nanotubes posses tremendous strength, an extreme aspect ratio, and are excellent thermal and electrical conductors. A plethora of potential applications for nanotubes have been hypothesized, and some progress is being made towards commercial applications. Accordingly, chemical modification of single-wall carbon nanotubes, as well as multi-wall carbon nanotubes, will be necessary for some applications. For instance, such applications may require grafting of moieties to the nanotubes: to allow assembly of modified nanotubes, such as single-wall carbon nanotubes, onto surfaces for electronics applications; to allow reaction with host matrices in composites; and to allow the presence of a variety of functional groups bound to the nanotubes, such as single-wall carbon nanotubes, for sensing applications.
While there have been many reports and review articles on the production and physical properties of carbon nanotubes, reports on chemical manipulation of nanotubes have been slow to emerge. There have been reports of functionalizing nanotube ends with carboxylic groups (Rao, et al., Chem. Commun., 1996, 1525-1526; Wong, et al., Nature, 1998, 394:52-55), and then further manipulation to tether them to gold particles via thiol linkages (Liu, et al., Science, 1998, 280:1253-1256). Haddon and co-workers (Chen, et al., Science, 1998, 282:95-98) have reported solvating single-wall carbon nanotubes by adding octadecylamine groups on the ends of the tubes and then adding dichlorocarbenes to the nanotube sidewall, albeit in relatively low quantities (˜2%).
Success at covalent sidewall derivatization of single-wall carbon nanotubes has been limited in scope, and the reactivity of the sidewalls has been compared to the reactivity of the basal plane of graphite. Aihara, J. J. Phys. Chem. 1994, 98, 9773-9776. A viable route to direct sidewall functionalization of single-wall carbon nanotubes has been fluorination at elevated temperatures, which process was disclosed in a co-pending application commonly assigned to the assignee of the application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/810,390, “Chemical Derivatization Of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes To Facilitate Solvation Thereof; And Use Of Derivatized Nanotubes To Form Catalyst-Containing Seed Materials For Use In Making Carbon Fibers,” to Margraves et al., filed Mar. 16, 2001. These functionalized nanotubes may either be de-fluorinated by treatment with hydrazine or allowed to react with strong nucleophiles, such as alkyllithium reagents. Although fluorinated nanotubes may well provide access to a variety of functionalized materials, the two-step protocol and functional group intolerance to organolithium reagents may render such processes incompatible with certain, ultimate uses of the carbon nanotubes. Other attempts at sidewall modification have been hampered by the presence of significant graphitic or amorphous carbon contaminants. Chen, Y. et al., J. Mater Res. 1998 13, 2423-2431.
It would thus be desirable to develop a direct approach to high degrees of functionalization of nanotubes that would be accommodating (i.e. a one step approach and one that is compatible with certain, ultimate uses of the nanotubes). Such uses include applications to utilize the tremendous strength, extreme aspect ratios, and excellent thermal and electrical conductive properties of the nanotubes.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method for derivatizing carbon nanotubes, especially the sidewalls and end-caps of single-wall carbon nanotubes, utilizing chemistries that are direct, accommodating, and compatible with the ultimate uses and applications of the nanotubes.